MOTIONS FOR DEBATE ON MPS PAY AND ALLOWANCES ON THURSDAY 3 JULY 2008
1. MEMBERS' SALARIES (EXPRESSION OF OPINION) (No. 1)
Ms Harriet Harman
That this House notes Sir John Baker's Review of Parliamentary Pay and Allowances (Cm 7416), and is of the opinion that the recommendations in the Review for the annual salary of a Member of this House to be increased by reference to a linkage to the Public Sector Average Earnings Index combined with regular reviews of the salary and the link should be implemented, such that-
(1) from 1st April 2008 and from 1st April of each subsequent year a Member's salary should be increased by the percentage increase in the 3 month average Public Sector Average Earnings Index for January of that year relative to the figure for January of the previous year;
(2) the SSRB should conduct a review of Members' salaries in the first year of each new Parliament unless such a review has taken place within the preceding two years;
(3) at such a review the SSRB should consider either or both of:
(a) an adjustment to the salary
(b) a different formula from that specified in paragraph (1) above
to ensure that the level of salary remains adequate for recruitment and retention, appropriate for the responsibilities and reasonable in relation to total reward for jobs of similar weight in the public sector, to take effect from the first 1st April following the first meeting of the new Parliament;
(4) each year the SSRB chair should notify the Speaker of the change in salary (expressed as a percentage) and, on such notification to the Speaker, that change should have effect, subject to any further notification given following a review under paragraph (2);
(5) the Speaker should lay before the House:
(a) any notification received from the SSRB chair under paragraph (4) above; and
(b) any report from the SSRB following a review under paragraph (2) above;
(6) an additional salary payable to a Member under Resolutions of this House in respect of service as a chairman of select or general committees should be changed by the same percentage and from the same time as the salary of a Member.
2. MEMBERS SALARIES (EXPRESSION OF OPINION) (No. 2)
Ms Harriet Harman
That this House notes Sir John Baker's Review of Parliamentary Pay and Allowances (Cm 7416), and is of the opinion that the policy set out in the Written Ministerial Statement by the Leader of the House of 17th June Official Report col 46WS should be implemented, such that-
(1) the salary of a Member of this House should be increased from 1st April 2008, and from 1st April of each subsequent year, by an uprating formula which increases the salary by a percentage equal to the median of relevant increases for the following public sector groups:
senior military, holders of judicial office, very senior NHS managers, doctors and dentists, the Prison Service, NHS staff, school teachers, the Armed Forces, police officers, Local Government; non-Senior Civil Service staff in each of the Department for Work and Pensions, Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs, the Ministry of Defence and the Home Office; and the Senior Civil Service
(2) the SSRB should conduct a review of Members' salaries in the first year of each new Parliament unless such a review has taken place within the preceding two years;
(3) at such a review the SSRB should consider either or both of:
(a) an adjustment to the salary, consistent with public sector pay policy, to reflect an assessment of the appropriate salary at that time relative to jobs of similar weight elsewhere in the public sector;
(b) as regards the public sector groups listed above, such amendments to the list as appear to it to be necessary to reflect changes in the pay setting arrangements for those groups;
to take effect from the first 1st April following the first meeting of the new Parliament;
(4) each year the SSRB chair should notify the Speaker of the change in salary (expressed as a percentage) and, on such notification to the Speaker, that change shall have effect, subject to any further notification given following a review under paragraph (2);
(5) the Speaker should lay before the House:
(a) any notification received from the SSRB chair under paragraph (4); and
(b) any report from the SSRB following a review under paragraph (2) above;
(6) an additional salary payable to a Member under Resolutions of this House in respect of service as a chairman of select or general committees shall be changed by the same percentage and from the same time as the salary of a Member.
3. MEMBERS SALARIES (EXPRESSION OF OPINION) (No. 3)
Ms Harriet Harman
That this House notes Sir John Baker's Review of Parliamentary Pay and Allowances (Cm 7416), and is of the opinion that the recommendation in paragraph 51 of the Review for increases over three years additional to those resulting from other uprating provisions should be implemented, such that the annual salary of a Member of this House should be increased on each of 1st April 2008, 1st April 2009 and 1st April 2010 by a sum of £650 in addition to (and after) any other change taking effect from that date by virtue of any other resolution of this House.
4. MEMBERS' SALARIES (No. 1) (MONEY) [Queen's Recommendation signified]
Ms Harriet Harman
That the following provision be made in relation to the salaries of Members of this House-
(1) from 1st April 2008 and from 1st April of each subsequent year a Member's salary shall be increased by the percentage increase in the 3 month average Public Sector Average Earnings Index published for January of that year relative to the figure published for January of the previous year;
(2) the SSRB shall conduct a review of Members' salaries in the first year of each new Parliament unless such a review has taken place within the preceding two years;
(3) at such a review the SSRB should consider either or both of:
(a) an adjustment to the salary
(b) a different formula from that specified in paragraph (1) above
to ensure that the level of salary remains adequate for recruitment and retention, appropriate for the responsibilities and reasonable in relation to total reward for jobs of similar weight in the public sector, to take effect from the first 1st April following the first meeting of the new Parliament;
(4) each year the SSRB chair shall notify the Speaker of the change in salary (expressed as a percentage) and, on such notification to the Speaker, that change shall have effect, subject to any further notification given following a review under paragraph (2);
(5) the Speaker shall lay before the House:
(a) any notification received from the SSRB chair under paragraph (4) above; and
(b) any report from the SSRB following a review under paragraph (2) above;
(6) an additional salary payable to a Member under Resolutions of this House in respect of service as a chairman of select or general committees shall be changed by the same percentage and from the same time as the salary of a Member.
5. MEMBERS' SALARIES (No. 2) (MONEY) [Queen's Recommendation signified]
Ms Harriet Harman
That the following provision be made in relation to the salaries of Members of this House-
(1) from 1st April 2008 and from 1st April of each subsequent year a Member's salary shall be increased by a percentage equal to the median of the relevant increases for the public sector groups listed in paragraph (2);
(2) the public sector groups are:
(a) senior military, holders of judicial office, very senior NHS managers, doctors and dentists, the Prison Service, NHS staff, school teachers, the Armed Forces, police officers and Local Government ("List A");
(b) non-Senior Civil Service staff in each of the Department for Work and Pensions, Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs, the Ministry of Defence and the Home Office ("List B");
(c) Senior Civil Service ("List C");
(3) the posts covered by a group in List A (except police officers and Local Government) and the Senior Civil Service are those posts within the group which are covered (from time to time) by a pay review body supported by the Office of Manpower Economics;
(4) the reference to police officers is to those officers covered (from time to time) by the Police Negotiating Board and the reference to Local Government is to those posts covered (from time to time) by the National Joint Council for Local Government Services;
(5) in the case of List A, the relevant increase for a group is determined as follows:
(a) determine the last set of annual percentage pay scale increases finalised and given effect to prior to 31st December of the preceding year in relation to individuals within the group;
(b) of the increases determined under paragraph (a), determine the increase that was applicable to the largest number of individuals (for this purpose, taking increases of the same percentage together as if they were one increase);
and the increase determined under paragraph (b) is the relevant increase;
(6) in the case of List B, the relevant increase for a group is determined as follows:
(a) determine the last set of annual percentage pay scale increases finalised and given effect to prior to 31st December of the preceding year in relation to staff within the group;
(b) determine the average of the increases determined under paragraph (a);
and the average determined under paragraph (b) is the relevant increase;(7)
(7) in the case of List C, the relevant increase is the last annual percentage increase in the basic settlement (excluding recyclables) finalised and given effect to prior to 31st December of the preceding year;
(8) the SSRB shall determine each relevant increase for the purposes of paragraph (1) except where the SSRB decides, in relation to a particular group, that it is not possible for it to make such a determination because of changes in pay setting arrangements for that group or other exceptional circumstances, in which case that group shall be ignored for the purposes of paragraph (1);
(9) the SSRB shall conduct a review of Members' salaries in the first year of each new Parliament unless such a review has taken place within the preceding two years;
(10) at such a review the SSRB should consider either or both of:
(a) an adjustment to the salary, consistent with public sector pay policy, to reflect an assessment of the appropriate salary at that time relative to jobs of similar weight elsewhere in the public sector;
(b) as regards the public sector groups listed in paragraph (2) above, such amendments to the list (including adding new groups or moving particular groups between Lists A, B and C) as appear to it to be necessary to reflect changes in the pay setting arrangements for those groups;
to take effect from the first 1st April following the first meeting of the new Parliament;
(11) each year the SSRB chair shall notify the Speaker of the change in salary (expressed as a percentage) and, on such notification to the Speaker, that change shall have effect, subject to any further notification given following a review under paragraph (9);
(12) the Speaker shall lay before the House:
(a) any notification received from the SSRB chair under paragraph (11); and
(b) any report from the SSRB following a review under paragraph (9) above;
(13) an additional salary payable to a Member under Resolutions of this House in respect of service as a chairman of select or general committees shall be changed by the same percentage and from the same time as the salary of a Member.
6. MEMBERS' SALARIES (No. 3) (MONEY) [Queen's Recommendation signified]
Ms Harriet Harman
That the annual salary of a Member of this House shall be increased on each of 1st April 2008, 1st April 2009 and 1st April 2010 by a sum of £650 in addition to (and after) any other change taking effect from that date by virtue of any other resolution of this House.
7. MEMBERS' EXPENSES
Nick Harvey
Sir Stuart Bell
Ms Harriet Harman
David Maclean
Mrs Theresa May
That this House welcomes the Third Report from the Members Estimate Committee: Review of Members Allowances (House of Commons Paper 578); endorses in particular the recognition of the need for a robust system of scrutiny for parliamentary allowances and the accompanying emphasis in the Report on improved audit; and is of the opinion that-
(1) Recommendations 1-5 (audit and assurance), Recommendations 6 and 7 (scope of overnight expenses), Recommendations 9 and 10 (Communications Allowance), Recommendations 11 and 12 (travel), Recommendations 13 and 14 (overnight expenses), Recommendation 15 (resettlement), and Recommendations 16-18 (other SSRB recommendations) should be implemented, subject to decisions of the Members Estimate Committee with respect to their introduction and application;
(2) the principle of central funding of constituency office costs, as set out in Recommendation 8, should be approved and asks the Members Estimate Committee to prepare a detailed proposal accordingly;
(3) the timetable for implementation of the Recommendations set out in paragraph 257 of the Report be endorsed; and instructs the Members Estimate Committee to report from time to time on the implementation of this Resolution.
8. MEMBERS' HOME ADDRESSES
Ms Harriet Harman
That this House asserts that the freedom of Members to speak on any matter without the fear or threat of interference or molestation is essential to the effective conduct of parliamentary proceedings; notes that this freedom has long been recognised to be an integral element of the protection afforded to Members enabling them to participate effectively in parliamentary business, and thus that Members must be able to speak on any matter in parliamentary proceedings without threat of interference or molestation; considers that this would be threatened by publication of Members' home addresses, patterns of travel or other information linked to addresses held by the House authorities revealing details that could threaten their security, and so would prejudice the effective conduct of public affairs; and urges Mr Speaker to take account of these considerations in the discharge of his responsibilities.
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